A $1 billion deal

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank announced recently they’ve agreed to the financial framework of a $1 billion stadium to replace the 20-year-old Georgia Dome. The deal must still be approved by the 15-member Atlanta City Council.  

By Eric Stirgus :: Published on Friday, March 8th, 2013 at 01:33 p.m.

The Transportation Tax – Truth, Lies and Gridlock

As the referendum on a tax to fund transportation projects for metro Atlanta nears, our fact check tally rises.  Your PolitiFact Georgia scribes have completed nearly two dozen fact checks on Tuesday's referendum, which has made bedfellows out of earstwhile enemies.  The Sierra Club has joined forces with members of Georgia's Tea Party to oppose the measure, while Chamber of Commerce-types have allied with sustainability advocates to rally for it. Want to comment on our findings? It's easy. Just go to our Facebook page and hit the "like" button. And you are free to express yourself, pro or con. Those for and against the one-percent tax increase say that the facts and figures are on their side. Sometimes they are. Other times they aren’t. We'll tell you who's right in this roundup of our rulings. And check back soon. We'll post more as we write new stories. Here’s how both sides have fared so far:

By Willoughby Mariano :: Published on Friday, July 27th, 2012 at 01:02 p.m.

Transportation Tax: The Best of the Truths, Rumors and Gridlock

The road to Tuesday’s monumental transportation tax vote is paved with truths, rumors and innuendoes. Leave it to the Truth-O-Meter to inspect every bump and crack in the pavement. Since spring, PolitiFact published nearly two dozen stories checking statements about the 10-year, 1 percent sales tax, otherwise known as T-SPLOST. It could raise $8.5 billion over 10 years, after inflation. Want to comment on our transportation tax rulings? Just go to our Facebook page or find us on Twitter. Both sides got it wrong some of the time. Statements by supporters and opponents often fell short of True. And once Election Day is over, we expect the rhetoric to continue. Metro Atlantans love to gripe about traffic. Bring it on. We could go for miles and miles. Read these summaries of our transportation tax rulings below.

By Willoughby Mariano :: Published on Friday, July 27th, 2012 at 01:00 p.m.

Truth-O-Meter rattles saber, burns britches

Last week, AJC PolitiFact Georgia's Truth-O-Meter emerged from its holiday slumber and rattled its saber.   First, it made quick work of claims on subjects including corporate tax rates, Atlanta's budget and whether DeKalb is the "greenest" county in America. Then, in honor of the Civil War's sesquicentennial, it burned some britches for a group's claim that blacks fought in droves for the Confederacy. The Truth-O-Meter takes no prisoners. Join us on Twitter and Facebook to comment and read our latest updates.

By Willoughby Mariano :: Published on Sunday, January 9th, 2011 at 06:00 a.m.

2010: The Year in Misrepresentations

The new year approaches, and your AJC PolitiFact Georgia team is growing misty-eyed.  Although we launched only six months ago, we already have cherished memories of pants we've burned, or slightly singed. As the AJC Truth-O-Meter winds down for the year, we thought we would share a few of those moments when we smelled flames. Here, in chronological order, are the summaries of some of our favorite untruths and misrepresentations of 2010:

By Willoughby Mariano :: Published on Monday, December 20th, 2010 at 06:00 a.m.